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Rhenus expands warehousing capacities in Pretoria and East London

1 Feb 2024

Rhenus South Africa is set to enhance its warehouse capabilities in South Africa, as the logistics service provider amplifies the nation's logistics infrastructure. The company is opening new warehouses in Pretoria and East London, while also upgrading and expanding its current facility in Gqeberha. This move is anticipated to offer comprehensive coast-to-coast warehousing services, with a particular focus on benefiting sectors such as healthcare, life sciences, retail, and renewable energy.

Samrand near Pretoria

Rhenus South Africa, already established in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban, strategically broadens its warehousing network along the east coast, aligning with expansion goals. This move addresses geographical gaps in service coverage. New facilities include a 3,000-square-meter warehouse in Samrand near Pretoria and a 2,000-square-meter facility in East London, with modernisation in Gqeberha increasing available space to 1,100 square meters.

Meeting demand

"Throughout and since Covid, many customers realised that they had insufficient stock holding in the country and that a just-in-time approach doesn't always work in terms of meeting customer demand, combined with speed to market," says Cornell van Rooyen, head of warehousing at Rhenus South Africa. "This is especially true in these volatile times characterised by declining transport volumes, delays at ports, poor rail infrastructure, a weakening currency and energy challenges like load shedding."

The new warehouse in Samrand, for example, provides optimum conditions for the express courier service and the contract logistics activities of Rhenus. It also expands the range of production, industrial and commercial logistics services along the N1 motorway, which connects Gauteng with the north-south corridor.

Facility in East London

In East London, the new warehouse plays a crucial role in simplifying import procedures and improving the competitive advantage of local businesses. The facility features a bonded warehouse, state-of-the-art temperature-controlled cold and hot storage and a robust security infrastructure. For customers, these improvements increase efficiency and reduce operating and maintenance costs.

"With the targeted investment in regional hubs, we are complementing our existing business and at the same time offering the opportunity to medium-sized customers who may be considering switching to a more cost-effective outsourced storage solution in the current economic climate," concludes van Rooyen. "We are optimistic that this strategic approach will lead to strong annual growth over the next three to five years."